Optimal Care for Patients with Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK)–Positive Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Review on the Role and Utility of ALK Inhibitors

The treatment of advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has undergone a paradigm shift in the last decade. Molecular characterization of the disease has led to the rapid development of personalized medicine and swift delivery of targeted therapies to patients. The discovery of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene in patients with NSCLC has resulted in rapid bench–bedside transition of several active drugs, with several others currently in clinical trials. After the first-generation ALK inhibitor crizotinib, next-generation ALK inhibitors have entered clinical applications for ALK-rearranged NSCLC. Ceritinib, alectinib, and brigatinib have all received approval for ALK-positive patients who have failed prior crizotinib, as well as first-line therapy in treatment-naïve patients based on favorable efficacy. Most recently, lorlatinib, a potent, newer-generation ALK inhibitor, has been approved as second- or third-line treatment. These advances have led to better patient outcomes,..... READ ARTICLE

Cancer Management and Research DOI:10.2147/CMAR.S260274

Authors: Abhay Singh, Hongbin Chen

Review PaperKirk SmithJuly 30, 2020non–small cell lung cancer, ALK rearrangement, crizotinib, ceritinib, alectinib, brigatinib, lorlatinib

Drug resistance mechanisms in Japanese anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non–small cell lung cancer and the clinical responses based on the resistant mechanisms

The treatment for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung cancer has been rapidly evolving since the introduction of several ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKI) in clinical practice. However, the acquired resistance to these drugs has become an important issue. In this study, we collected a total of 112 serial biopsy samples from 32 patients with ALK-positive lung cancer during multiple ALK-TKI treatments to reveal the resistance mechanisms to ALK-TKI. Among 32 patients, 24 patients received more than two ALK-TKI. Secondary mutations were observed in 8 of 12 specimens after crizotinib failure (G1202R, G1269A, I1171T, L1196M, C1156Y and F1245V). After alectinib failure, G1202R and I1171N mutations were detected in 7 of 15 specimens. G1202R, F1174V and G1202R, and P-gp overexpression were observed in 3 of 7 samples after ceritinib treatment. L1196M + G1202R, a compound mutation, was detected in 1 specimen after lorlatinib treatment. ALK-TKI treatment duration was longer in th..... READ ARTICLE

Cancer Science DOI:10.1111/cas.14314

Authors: Noriko Yanagitani, Ken Uchibori, Sumie Koike, Mika Tsukahara, Satoru Kitazono, Takahiro Yoshizawa, Atsushi Horiike, Fumiyoshi Ohyanagi, Yuichi Tambo, Shingo Nishikawa, Naoya Fujita, Ryohei Katayama, Makoto Nishio

Case StudyKirk SmithJanuary 21, 2020Drug resistance mechanisms, anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive, non–small cell lung cancer, clinical responses